1. Background of the Invention
This invention relates to a multifunction terminal comprising a frame, at least one sheet feeding station, a routing device with a sheet feeding path and at least one sheet outlet receptacle.
2. Prior Art
Terminals are known that are suitable for effecting various functions such as printing, copying, fax transmission and reception. One such terminal is, for example, that described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,814,798. These known terminals are not however suitable for a duplex type processing of the documents in all their functions. Moreover, they are complicated to build, have numerous components and are generally bulky. In their duplex printing function, the known terminals are unsuitable for use with ink jet printheads on account of the fact that the still wet ink of a sheet printed on its front side can easily come into contact with members of the printer, such as the guiding walls, during the turning of the sheet, giving rise to undesirable ink erasures and blotches.
The object of this invention is to overcome the drawbacks cited above and to create a multifunction terminal that is easy to build, has not many components and low overall dimensions, while offering multiple functions, all of which possible in duplex processing, and ensuring reliable operation without ink blotches, including when using inks with a relatively long drying time.
The terminal according to the invention is accordingly characterized by the fact that it comprises an installation for the duplex processing of sheets, capable of effecting printing, scanning, copying, faxing and/or sorting functions, the said installation comprising at least one intermediate storage device arranged so as to temporarily store at least one sheet in processing which it has received from an outlet of the feeding path, and a control member suitable for displacing the intermediate storage device so that the said sheet in processing may be fed back into at least one entrance of the feeding path, the latter being arranged in such a way that the sheet in processing effects a turning-over between its entrance and its exit, printing means and a data reader being disposed along this feeding path.
With these characteristics, a multifunction terminal is obtained that is easy to build and does not have many more components than an ordinary printer. The resulting price/performance ratio is particularly advantageous. An important number of functions can be executed easily with this terminal, which is generally not very cumbersome.
The ink still wet from printing can dry during a predetermined period of time when the sheet is superimposed in the intermediate storage device. This storage device is also used as a conveying means for presenting the sheet at the printing entrance again so that printing can be effected on its second face. This arrangement accordingly permits duplex printing to be effected reliably and simply with ink jet printheads or other types of heads with drying inks. The quality and speed of sheet processing are also very high.
To advantage, the sheets to be printed and the original sheets follow at least in part the same feeding path inside the routing device.
With characteristics such as these, a particularly compact terminal may be built, having not very many components and at a moderate cost price.
According to a preferred embodiment, the intermediate storage device comprises at least two superimposed intermediate storing trays, at least one of the trays being intended to temporarily store an original sheet in the scanner, copier, fax and/or sorter functions.
These characteristics ensure rational and reliable operation, while construction remains simple.
The terminal may advantageously comprise at least one first feeding station for the sheets to be printed and at least one second feeding station for the original sheets to be scanned, copied and/or faxed and/or for sheets to be printed of another type.
Conveniently, it will comprise at least one first outlet receptacle arranged to accommodate the printed sheets and at least one second outlet receptacle arranged to accommodate the original sheets or printed sheets of another type.
With these characteristics, the processing of blank and printed sheets and originals is rendered very reliable, while a wide variety of functions and uses of the terminal is obtained.
According to a preferred embodiment, the outlet receptacle(s) and the intermediate storing tray(s) form an integral assembly mounted movably on the frame.
These characteristics ensure a particularly simple, rational and reliable construction, and extremely reduced encumbrance generally.
Other advantages will become apparent from the characteristics set down in the relevant claims and from the description provided below detailing the invention, with the aid of drawings representing schematically and by way of example one embodiment.